Make in India 12-Year Review: PLI Schemes Show Concentration, Manufacturing Growth Patchy

MoSPI Defends 7.8% GDP Growth Amid Criticism, Cites Base Year Change to 2022-23

MoSPI issued a six-point rebuttal defending the 7.8% GDP growth for Q1 FY26, clarifying that data revisions stem from the base year change (2011-12 to 2022-23) and updated indices (PPI, IIP). The ministry refuted claims of manipulation, emphasizing that comparing old and new series is invalid.

PLI Schemes Disburse ₹36,754 Cr; ₹2.58 Lakh Cr Investment, 14.57 Lakh Jobs Generated

The government has disbursed ₹36,754 crore under Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes as of June 30, 2026, with total investment of ₹2.58 lakh crore and record production of ₹23.79 lakh crore. The schemes have created over 14.57 lakh jobs, boosted exports to ₹15.53 lakh crore, and achieved significant localization in pharma, electronics, medical devices, and speciality steel. This is a key exam topic for Prelims factual questions and Mains analytical questions on industrial policy, Make in India, and Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Govt Proposes Gold Monetisation via Jewellers: 20,000 Tonne Idle Gold, Demat Deposits, Interest Income

The government is planning a new gold monetisation scheme where jewellers, not banks, will collect physical gold deposits from households, issue demat receipts, and pay interest. This aims to unlock over 20,000 tonnes of idle gold, improve India's trade balance, and reduce import dependence — a key reform for economic stability and current account management.

Centre Imposes Stockholding Limit on Sugar, Allows Duty-Free Import of 10 Lakh MT to Curb Price Surge

To curb a sharp 15% spike in sugar prices ahead of the festive season, the Centre has imposed a 15-day stockholding limit on bulk consumers (using >10 MT/month) and allowed duty-free import of 10 lakh MT of raw sugar until October 31, 2026. The move invokes the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and involves both the Ministry of Consumer Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce.

MoSPI Considers Diary-Based HCES for High-Income Households to Tackle 9.8% Urban Non-Response Rate

To counter rising non-response from affluent households in gated societies, MoSPI is piloting a 'diary-based' self-reporting method for the next Household Consumption Expenditure Survey (HCES) in 2027-28. This shift is critical because the HCES data directly impacts CPI basket weights, inflation targeting by RBI, and policy making, but raises concerns about data comparability due to differential recall errors between survey methods.

India's Q1 GDP Growth Surprises at 7.8%, Manufacturing at 9.2% Despite West Asia Crisis

India's economy defied expectations with a robust 7.8% real GDP growth in Q1 FY26, led by manufacturing at 9.2% and strong services. However, the RBI's 125 bps rate cuts and a GST cut helped, but headwinds like high oil prices (>$80/bbl), deficient monsoon, and slowing global services demand pose a serious stamina test. For exams, this is a classic 'resilience vs. vulnerability' case study for GS3.

India's Q1 GDP Growth 7.8%: MoSPI Refutes Ex-Finance Secretary's Base Year Manipulation Claim

India's Q1 FY26 GDP grew 7.8% real and 10.3% nominal, but former Finance Secretary S C Garg alleged data manipulation due to base year change. The article clarifies that his calculation is methodologically flawed and explains the importance of base year revisions.

New GDP Series 2022-23: 5 Key Changes Including MGT-7 Classification, Gold Savings Doubling, and Rooftop Solar

India's new GDP series (base year 2022-23) introduces five lesser-known but impactful changes. Key reforms include splitting enterprise GVA by activity using MGT-7 forms, valuing government housing, lowering asset useful lives, shifting household savings data source to SEBI (doubling gold savings estimates), and including rooftop solar electricity. These changes improve GDP accuracy but require careful understanding for exam questions on methodology.